Posted on 03/06/2023 9:22:36 AM PST by jerod
The founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary force has said his troops now tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are being deprived of ammunition and that, if they are forced to retreat, the entire front will collapse.
Yevgeny Prigozhin had said on Friday that his units had "practically surrounded Bakhmut," where fighting has intensified in the past week after months of attritional warfare, with Russian forces attacking from three sides.
Wagner often appears to operate autonomously from the regular army, or even in competition with it, and in a video published over the weekend, Prigozhin complained that the ammunition that Moscow had promised it had not been delivered.
"If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse," Prigozhin said. "The situation will not be sweet for all military formations protecting Russian interests."
Reuters could not independently verify when and where the video was recorded. It was published not on Prigozhin's usual press service Telegram channel, but on one that has associated itself with Wagner and disseminated news about Prigozhin.
On his usual channel, Prigozhin also mentioned the lack of ammunition, saying on Sunday: "For now, we are trying to figure out the reason: Is it just ordinary bureaucracy, or a betrayal?"
Prigozhin regularly criticizes the military hierarchy and last month accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and others of "treason" for withholding munitions. Shoigu has been visiting forces in Ukraine to award medals and meet commanders and on Monday was in the eastern city of Mariupol, captured by Russian forces last year after a months-long siege.
In the nearly four-minute video published on the Wagner Orchestra Telegram channel on Saturday, Prigozhin said his troops were worried that Moscow wanted to set them up as potential scapegoats if Russia lost the war.
"If we retreat, then we will go down in history forever as people who have taken the main step towards losing the war," he said.
"This is exactly the problem with 'ammunition hunger'."
Russian nationalist ex-rebel commander Igor Girkin, a prominent opponent of Prigozhin's, said without citing evidence that the doom-laden video published on the weekend had been recorded at the height of that row, about two weeks ago.
Prigozhin has used the war to become a public figure in Russia, and strong signs have emerged in the past month that the Kremlin wants to clip his wings after he began feuding with the defence establishment.
The Defence Ministry said last month it was "absolutely untrue" that Wagner was being starved of ammunition...
Russian unit disobey orders: unconfirmed reports
Belgorod borders Ukraine's Kharkiv region and has repeatedly come under fire since the beginning of Russia's invasion. Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for attacks inside Russia.
Near Vuhledar, southwest of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk, Ukraine said senior officers of Russia's 155th Brigade, which Kyiv says suffered heavy recent losses, were refusing to obey orders to attack.
"The leaders of the brigade and senior officers are refusing to proceed with a new senseless attack as demanded by their unskilled commanders — to storm well-defended Ukrainian positions with little protection or preparation," Ukraine's military said in a statement.
Military analyst Zhdanov said two "Cossack" Russian units known as Steppe and Tiger had expressed frustration with their commanders and refused to take part in any new offensive on the hilltop town.
Reuters could not immediately verify the reports.
Apparently... Not taken?
Consider the source before ANY conclusions are reached, CBC News is a poop department source.
I have it on good authority that shovels are perfectly adequate assault weapons.
SeeBS “News.”
A very reliable source.
Can’t the Rooskies manufacture ammo?
AGAIN? They’ve been out of ammunition for over a year now. Another shovel full of the EXACT same rubbish strewn around here for 12 months. Give it a rest.
Also, consider Sun Tsu...
Appear strong when weak; appear weak when strong.
Ammo shortage, eh?
I find it hard to believe a fighting force would publicly identify a weakness such as this. This reeks of propaganda but, as this thread is proof of, the Ukraine Pollyanna brigade is shouting Russia’s demise. Perhaps we should give the Ukes another 100 billion to put them over the top.
You guys keep saying that but its been reported for some time now by NBC, Al Jazeera, BBC, CBC, Asia-Nikkei, Newsweek, The Defense Post, Daily Sabah, Barrons, Moscow Times, Taipei Times, etc etc. So how many sources do you have to consider?
You can have your own opinions but not your own facts.
There is an actual 4 minute video of this.
Reality “reeks of propaganda?”
Non-NWO.
Dude, you have to be a real conspiracy theorist nut to think that all the news agencies are in cahoots with NWO.
Just google ‘Wagner ammunition shortage’. The number of reports from various sources goes on for pages and pages.
Nonsense
Besides you guys claim it’s not important anyhow
From a former infanteer, me- yes, all media is straight up lies.
All aping globalism inc agit prop a year now from god knows where
And you guys drink it up
Moscow Times is virulently anti Putin
It might surprise you guys but most Moscow press is liberal like ours
Putin takes much harder questions publicly than Biden does
I wouldn’t publicly ridicule or threaten him though
He gets persistent nagging
He just laughs and then answers it
For a kgb operative he’s articulate on the podium
How many of you guys have even watched his pressers
After all why would Ukrainians use "Commie bloc" rifles anymore since we have been shipping them small arms ammo since 2021 ?
Its not like our Defense Department is so utterly incompetent that we would send them useless ammo !
I can’t believe you just wrote that dude
Where have you been from Benghazi and WOMD to fast and furious to covid and russiagate
Of course they are colluding
Over news and more importantly the dissemination of info
They call it misinformation and disinformation
We call it projecting
You are unaware who’s destroying western civilization best they can buddy
And Putin is in the way
Like Trump
Sorry, but blind rejection of data sources is not a way to discern truth. You have to look at the details, the preponderance of evidence, and then make decisions. This despite ones suspicions of source credibility.
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